Nicola Sturgeon backs use of cannabis as medicine

Nicola Sturgeon has said she believes there is a “case for medical use of cannabis”.

The First Minister was urged to move towards licensing the drug for medical use in Scotland as she faced questions from MSPs at Holyrood yesterday.

Labour's Pauline McNeill asked about the issue at FMQs. Picture: John Devlin

Labour’s Pauline McNeill said there is “some evidence” to suggest cannabis could help alleviate the pain of arthritis. She added: “Would the First Minister consider taking steps to licence cannabis for medical purposes, or would the First Minister at least commit to looking at the basis for it?”

Ms Sturgeon said: “I have long been of the view that there is a case for medical use of cannabis.

“I am not in favour of the decriminalisation or legalisation of cannabis generally, but carefully used for certain conditions, I think there is a case to be made.

“Yes I am sympathetic. I don’t hold all the levers around this in terms of the classification of drugs but in terms of medicines we have a recognised process in place in Scotland and of course it is open for any manufacturer of drugs to ask for approval through that process.”

Drug licensing is currently reserved to Westminster and approval of medicines derived from cannabis would be a matter for the Independent Scottish Medicines Consortium.

Health Secretary Shona Robison is to set out details of any cannabis-derived drugs under consideration.